Vehicle control



Dec. 11, 1934. c. G. MAHANA VEHICLE CONTROL Filed May 2, 1932 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE CONTROL Charles G. Mahana, Three Rivers, Mich., as-

Signor to Fairbanks, Morse & 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 2, 1932, Serial No. 608,681

4 Claims. (01. 188-265) This invention relates to improvements in application of the invention to a brake system vehicle controls, and more particularly to footfor arailway motor car; actuated controls for vehicle brakes, although Referring now by characters of reference to the susceptible of general application to a wide Vadrawing, the invention is illustrated by describ- 5 riety of foot-actuated control members. ing in detail an application thereof to a brake 5 An object of the present invention is attained system of a railway motor car, such system inin a pedal assembly of especial adaptation to eluding a transversely disposed, rockable brake vehicles such as railway motor cars, in which a shaft 5, carried in suitable journals on the frame substantially horizontal floor or deck is usually members of the car. Shaft 5 serves to carry at employed, both as a rest for the feet, adjacent each end, an arm 6 which is secured to the shaft, 10 the foot control elements, and also for the hauleach arm 6 pivotally engaging a link '7, the opage of tools, track construction materials and posite end of the link 7 being pivotally conthe like. A difficulty exists in prevailing cars, nected, as through a pin 8, to a pair of toggle in that tools, track equipment and the like are arms 9 and 10, each connected through suitable apt to be casually moved, as by gravity or vibrapivotal connections to one of a pair of opposed 15 tion,'to a position beneath the brake pedal and brake shoes 11 and 12. In this embodiment the the floor or deck through which the brake lever link 10 may be composed of threadedly extensible projects, and so prevent or interfere with manipsections, so as to provide for adjustment of the ulation of a pedal of usual type. The present shoes 11 and 12 to enable the maximum pressure invention serves fully to obviate this hazard and to be applied through the controls, hereinafter 20 dimculty. described, and in order to keep the shoes 11 and Yet another object of the invention is attained 12 clear of the periphery of the vehicle wheels, in a novel construction of foot-controlled actuatwhen the controls are in their normal or ining member such that the full range of movement operative positions. The shoes 11 and 12 may cannot, in any manner, he interfered with by be pivotally mounted through pins 13 to the frame 5 accidental introduction of articles beneath it. of the car.

A still further object of the invention is at- Secured to the shaft 5 as by a suitable set tained in an improved and novel means whereby screw 14 (Fig. 1), is a control arm 15 preferably a control pedal, such asa brake pedal'for exformed of a rigid -metal member projecting at ample, may be latched or retained in a predea substantial angle through an opening 16 in 30 termined setting, so as to eliminate the necessity a floor or deck structure 17; the opening 16 of maintaining braking pressure on the control preferably corresponding in width to the greatest member or pedal, throughout the time when vewidth of the pedal, hereinafter described. hicle braking effects are necessary. The pedal preferably consists of a pressed Yet another object of the invention is attained member 18, bent into substantially a U shaped 5 in an improved brake pedal member which may transverse section, and including plane parallel be formed of a light material, such as pressed lateral wall portions 19, each being by prefersheet metal, and so formed as to constitute a ence of substantially triangular aspect, and a closed housing, extending, in any position of the foot-receiving portion 20 normally lying at a pedal, between the pedal surface and a subjacent convenient angle to the horizontal floor or deck 40 floor or deck, and being of a transverse dimension structure 17 and disposed at a right angle to each or width, throughout its depth, at least equal to of the lateral guard or wing portions 19. The the width of the foot-engaged surface. end 21 is preferably closed by a portion of the The foregoing and additional objects will more sheet metal body forming the other parts of the fully appear as the description proceeds, and from pedal 18. The pedal arm 15 may be secured to 45 the appended drawing forming a part of the the pedal 18, preferably internally thereof, as by specification. In the drawing: riveting, welding or any other suitable fastening Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pedal member expedient. and related parts, including a fragmentary por- It will appear from the foregoing description of tion of an associated floor or deck structure; the pedal structure that it is distinguishable from 50 Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure apthose which are generally known to the art, pearing in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation in perthat it is in the nature of a hollow element, imspeotive, of a preferred form of pedal, also showperforate throughout those portions disposed at ing a portion of the floor or deck extending any time above the floor or deck 17, whereby bars,

thereabout, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an jacks, wrenches, and other track equipment 55 placed between the outwardly projecting end of lever 15, and the floor or deck structure, thus precluding any impairment of a full braking? actuation of the lever 15. While, for convenience and economy of construction, I prefer to form the pedal proper of pressed sheet metal as described this member may consist of a block of wood ona solid inetal member, the essential feature being that, whatever position of the pedal, there is no laterally-open space at any time between the foot-engaged pedal surface, and the subjacent floor. i

In the operation of railway motor cars it frequently happens that; unless some provision is made for locking the brake; controls in engaged position, it is necessary for the operatorto apply braking pressure to the pedal, for long periods of time, for example, when descending long, grades. To obviate this necessity I have provided a brake. latchingor -retaining device by means of which the brake control pedal may be latched in any brake-setting position, withany desired degree of.pressure,;and kept in such position without further effort until the latch is released.

The expedient presently preferred for this purpose is shown as consisting of a deck flange or bushing 22, the deck being provided with an apere ture. 23, to receive. the flange, which may be secured thereto as by screws or bolts, (not shown). Extending through the apertured flange 22, is a chain 24, one or the outer end of which .isprovided witha latching knob 25, and the other or innerend of which serves to engage a stop member '26, consisting in thepresent example, of a washer perforated at diametrally opposite points. The aperture of washer 26, opposite its anchorage to the chainZ l, serves to receive a hookv end of a spring 27,thespring being disposed by preference horizontally beneath the deck structure 17, and the opposite end of the spring being anchored toabolt28 ThepedallS is provided with a lateralprojection or clip 29, which may be secured. as by riveting'or welding to one side wall 19 ot the pedal. Clip 29 is notched as at 30, this notch being of such-a width and depth that while any one link of the chain 24 maybe inserted in thenotch, theadjacent link, being transverse to the link withinthe notch, will not pull therethrough, thus enabling the chain to be inserted in the notch of the clip at any selected point between the knob 25 and the washer 26. I I N Inutilizing the latch, the brakepedal 18 is depressed to the desired extent; the chain 24 is pulled outwardly through the deck flange 22 as far as permitted by the washer, the washer ,servingas a stop against further retraction ,of the chain, as shown by Fig; 2. With the chain thus fully withdrawn, the pedal l8.is linked up to keep it as close aspossible to the deckand deck flange. ,The chain is thus under tension and the pedal held thereby in its brake-engaging position, as long asdesired, without further effort on the part of-the operator. When it is desired to release the brake the knob 25 may again be utilized to lift the chain out of the notchBO of clip 29, following which the brake pedal will resume its normal position of rest, releasing the brake..- The tension previously put on spring 27 by retraction of the chain 24, serves to restore the chain and knob toa position of concealment as shown in Fig. 1. It will appear from the foregoing description that the device described serves as an economical and yet positive expedient for latching a brake or other control of the type described, in a predetermined operative or control position. The simplicity of the arrangement described is evidenced by the fact that no more than the five parts described, need; be employed. The anchorage bolt 28 may conveniently consist of any of the usual assembly bolts of the structure, without providing a separate anchorage for this purpose.

It will further appear that the structure described, and particularly the novel form of track pedal element, serves positively to preclude any stoppageof brake actuating control movement by reason of interference from tools or equipment usually'carried on the floor of a vehicle equipped with-a-brake systernpf the present order.

While I have described the invention by making particular and specific reference to a preferred embodimentthereof, it will be understood that a number of changes in the parts, their cornbinations, as well astheir assembly, may be made within the scope and intendment of the invention as defined by the claims hereunto appended.

Iclaimzi a l. A latch for acontrol member of a railway motor car having a deck structure, the latch in cluding a chain, a tubular chain guideprojecting through the deck structure, a stop carried by each end of the chain and coacting with the guide, anotched chain anchorage carried by the control member, and adapted separately to engage the individual links of the chain, a spring connected to, the inner end of the chain for retracting the chain when. in non-latching relation to the control member, and an anchorage for the spring, the length of the spring and chain being such that they are kept in concealedposition beneath and along the deck of the car, irrespective of engagement of the chain and control member.

2. In a. railway motor car provided with a flooror deck structure, a foot control for brakes, including a control lever extending through the floor or deck structure, a pedal in exposed position above the floor structure, and. engaging the control lever, a pedal latch including a chain projecting through the floor adjacent the pedal and adapted to be withdrawn above the floor for latching engagement with the pedal, a flanged tubular eye in the deck, through which the chain extends an element projecting laterally of the edal and provided with a notch adapted to accommodate the individual links of the chain, a

stop on the inner end of the chain beneath the floor structure, a chain-retracting spring anchored at one end to said stop, and a fixed anchorage below the deck at the opposite end of the spring, the anchorage and eye-being spaced to keep the chain and spring taut when the chain is in retracted position. V I

3. In a railway motor car, in combination, a horizontal deckstructure, a brake control lever projecting through an opening therefor in the deck structure, a pedal secured to the control low the deck structure, and a knob on the outer or free end of the chain for limiting its retraction under influence of the spring, the spring being arranged to keep the chain taut, parallel to and beneath the deck structure when the pedal latch is out of engagement with the pedal.

4. In combination with a foot brake assembly for a railway motor car, a pedal arm, a pedal thereon, a latching device for selectively positioning the pedal, including a chain, an eye for the chain, carried by the deck of the car, an anchorage for the chain, spaced from the eye and located beneath the car deck, a spring connecting the chain to the anchorage, an extension carried by the pedal, and recessed or notched to receive the links of the chain at selected locations, whereby to secure the pedal in adjusted control positions, at stop at the spring-connected end of the chain, adapted to engage the eye to limit the outward movement of the chain, and a stop at the free end of the chain, adapted to engage and close the eye when the latching device is out of 10 service.

CHARLES G. MAHANA. 

